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Is Hydrogen Water the Next Big Trend in Wellness?

This article reviews hydrogen water and the scientific evidence behind it to help you make an informed decision.

What Is Hydrogen Water?

Hydrogen (H2) is the most abundant molecule in the Universe. It’s an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas. But only in 2007 did a team in Japan discover that inhaled hydrogen gas could act as an antioxidant and protect the brain from free radicals. This sparked the interest in its potential health benefits worldwide and led to some breakthrough research [R, R].

Hydrogen water is loaded with hydrogen molecules. It was formulated as the most practical and easy way to get hydrogen into the whole body. But it’s not the only way – hydrogen can also be inhaled, injected, or absorbed through a bath [R].

Since the Japanese discovery, the effects of hydrogen have been researched in 63 diseases [R]!

It’s less known that hydrogen was therapeutically used for the first time in humans in the early 90s. It was given to 3 divers to successfully help them overcome the effects of high pressure on the brain in deep-sea diving [R, R].

Hydrogen is the smallest existent gas molecule. Because of this unique property, molecular hydrogen could penetrate into virtually every organ and cell in the body (including the brain) where it may have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, weight-loss, and anti-allergy activity. Molecular hydrogen seems like the perfect therapeutic the world has been eagerly searching for – with very few known side effects and such wide-ranging action [R, R].

Many studies, however, are still in the early stages. It will take more clinical research to uncover all the effects of molecular hydrogen in humans.Hydrogen Water and Hydrogen Molecule ResearchHere, we have listed and compiled all significant scientific publications related to hydrogen water and hydrogen molecule. The list was complied by running various searches on PubMed. Each study and is hyperlinked to the abstract in the U.S. National Library of Medicine or the full text article.

Here is the list by category.

1) Antioxidant and Brain-Protective Effects

One randomised controlled study, assessing the effectiveness and safety of Hydrogen Gas inhalation treatment in stroke patients was published in 2017. Hydrogen gas inhalation treatment was safe and effective in patients with acute stroke (cerebral infarction) [R].

In a small study of 17 patients with Parkinson’s disease, those who drank hydrogen water had improved symptoms. Those who drank regular “placebo” water, however, experienced a worsening. There were also no adverse effects to drinking 1L of hydrogen water daily for almost one year [R].

No study so far has looked at the effect of hydrogen water alone on Parkinson’s Disease, though. In the completed studies, patients drank hydrogen water as an add-on to regular medications (L-Dopa) [R].

2) Side Effects of Chemotherapy and Radiation

One study, published in the Molecular and Clinical Oncology in 2017, evaluated the protective effect of hydrogen-rich water on liver function of colorectal cancer patients treated with chemotherapy in 152 patients. The hydrogen-rich water group exhibited protective effect against the chemotherapy related liver injury [R].

In another study of 49 patients (published in 2011) on radiation therapy for liver cancer, drinking hydrogen water (1.5 – 2 L/day) improved the patients’ quality of life and appetite. Hydrogen water could reduce oxidative stress and damage from radiation without compromising its cancer-killing effects [R].

3) Suppressing Inflammation and joint disorders

In one pilot study, 20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis drank 0.5 L/day of hydrogen water for 4 weeks. By the end of the study, all patients with early rheumatoid arthritis achieved remission and
20% became symptom-free [R, R].

4) Muscle Fatigue and Weakness

In an experiment with 10 young athletes (DB-CT), drinking hydrogen water reduced lactic acid build-up during heavy exercise and decreased muscle fatigue [R].

Drinking 2 L of hydrogen water daily helped 8 cyclists power through sprints with more energy and less exhaustion in one small 2-week study [R].

5) Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome

In a pilot study on patients prone to metabolic syndrome, drinking hydrogen water (1.5 – 2 L/day) for 8 weeks increased in HDL-cholesterol and decreased total cholesterol [R].

Long-term drinking of hydrogen water helped lose body fat and weight in rats. It boosted burning fats and sugars for energy, without any change in diet. In fact, drinking hydrogen water had similar effects on the body as calorie restriction [R].

7) Hydrogen Water Enhances Energy Metabolism

Drinking hydrogen water protected the body’s energy powerhouse, the mitochondria, in several studies of 41 people with muscle diseases. They drank 0.5 – 1 L of hydrogen water per day [R].

8) Boosts Skin Health

Hydrogen water given through an IV solution safely improved skin health in 4 patients with skin redness and inflammation, and pain. The skin redness went away after a couple of days of treatment and did not come back [R].

Bathing in hydrogen water for 3 months noticeably reduced skin wrinkles in 6 people. Hydrogen water could also boost collagen production, reduce UV damage and act as an antioxidant in skin cells. Warm hydrogen-infused baths could be a pleasant, safe way to reverse skin aging [R].

In rats with a blockage in the bladder, drinking hydrogen water reduced bladder volume by neutralising oxidative stress. It also improved the responsiveness of bladder muscles. As a strong antioxidant, hydrogen water could potentially help those with a bladder obstruction [R].

11) May Protect the Kidneys

Hydrogen added to the dialysis solution reduced inflammation and high blood pressure in 21 kidney failure patients on dialysis [R].

12) May Protect the Liver

In 60 patients with Hepatitis B (RCT), drinking hydrogen water as an add-on to regular treatment was safe and reduced oxidative stress [R].

The ability of molecular hydrogen to protect the DNA and the mitochondria from oxidative damage may have beneficial effects on chronic diseases and cancer. But perhaps it could help slow down or reverse the aging process itself. A couple of cellular studies give us some interesting clues [R, R].

It was already discovered that hydrogen can prolong the life of stem cells by reducing oxidative stress [R].

A hydrogen-rich environment reduced both oxidative stress and aging in cells. Some scientists think that drinking hydrogen water could increase longevity in humans [R].

Hydrogen water could kill the bacteria that most commonly cause gum disease and cavities. It could be used to improve overall oral health [R].

15) Preserves Transplant Organs

Hydrogen water could help preserve and reduce damage to transplant organs without any toxic effects. It reduced the inflammation and injury that usually happens when donated organs are stored, which could help save more lives [R].

Hydrogen Water Safety, Dosage, Side effects

Molecular hydrogen (H2) has no known side effects. It’s not toxic even at high concentrations. In fact, it seems that smaller amounts of molecular hydrogen have a stronger, more beneficial effect than very high amounts. However, the long-term risks remain unknown until additional studies are carried out [R].

In most clinical studies, people drank 0.5 – 2 L of hydrogen water daily.

After drinking hydrogen water, about 40% of the H2 is absorbed by the body [R].

Where to Buy Hydrogen Water in Malaysia?

If you are in doubt on which and where to buy genuine hydrogen water in Malaysia, you can contact us for assistance. Please feel free to submit the form below.

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